Cambridge Launching Fourth Participatory Budgeting Cycle

May 26, 2017

The City of Cambridge is launching its fourth annual Participatory Budgeting cycle in which community members will decide how to spend $800,000 – an additional $100,000 over FY17 – on one-time capital projects to improve Cambridge.

Participatory Budgeting (PB) is a different way to manage public money and to engage people in local government. In Cambridge’s PB process, community members submit project ideas during the summer; volunteer Budget Delegates research and develop ideas into final project proposals in the fall, and then residents age 12 and older vote in December to choose the projects that will be funded.

Winning projects from past cycles include bike repair stations, 100 new street trees, solar panels for the Main Library roof, a food rescue freezer van, the Central Square public toilet, bilingual books for kids, and many others.

The city will be collecting ideas from June 1 - July 31, on projects to improve the community. Residents can submit their ideas online at pb.cambridgema.gov or by contacting the Budget Office at pb@cambridgema.gov, (617) 349-4270, or in person to the Budget Office in Cambridge City Hall, 795 Massachusetts Avenue.

Interested in becoming more involved with PB? The City is actively recruiting volunteer Budget Delegates to research submitted ideas this fall and help develop them into final proposals for the December 2017 PB ballot. Volunteering as a Budget Delegate is a great opportunity to become a community leader, develop teambuilding skills, get to know your neighbors, build your resume, and help make your city a better place. Serving as a Budget Delegate requires a significant time commitment from mid-August through October, with one final meeting in mid-November.

For more information about the PB process or the Budget Delegate role, visit pb.cambridgema.gov or contact Michelle Monsegur and Justin Casanova-Davis in the City’s Budget Office at pb@cambridgema.gov or 617-349-4270.